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Concerning persons

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thy God which he hath given pervert the words of the right

An. Ex. Isr. 40. thee.

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Verse 18. Judges and officers shalt thou make] JUDGES, D'UDY shophetim, among the Hebrews, were probably the same as our magistrates or justices of the peace. OFFICERS, D' shoterim, seem to have been the same as our inquest sergeants, beadles, &c., whose office it was to go into the houses, shops, &c., and examine weights, measures, and the civil conduct of the people. When they found any thing amiss, they brought the person offending before the magistrate, and he was punished by the officer on the spot. They seem also to have acted as heralds in the army, chap. xx. 5. See also Rab. Maimon in Sanhedrin. In China,

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eous.

A. M. 2553. B. C. 1451. An. Ex. Isr. 40. Sebat.

20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayesti live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any m image, which the LORD thy God hateth.

8 Or, matters.- h Heb. justice, justice. Ezek. xviii. 5, 9.- Exod. xxxiv. 13; 1 Kings xiv. 15; xvi. 33; 2 Kings xvii. 16; xxi. 3; 2 Chron. xxxiii. 3.- Lev. xxvi. 1. Or, statue, or pillar.

for all minor offences, the person when found guilty is punished on the spot, in the presence of the magistrate or mandarin of justice.

Verse 21. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove, &c.] We have already seen that groves were planted about idol temples for the purposes of the obscene worship performed in them. (See on chap. xii. 1.) On this account God would have no groves or thickets about his altar, that there might be no room for suspicion that any thing contrary to the strictest purity was transacted there. Every part of the Divine worship was publicly performed, for the purpose of general edification.

CHAPTER XVIL

All sacrifices to be without blemish, 1. Of persons convicted of idolatry and their punishment, 2–7.ˆ Difficult matters in judgment to be laid before the priests and judges, and to be determined by them; and all to submit to their decision, 8–13. The king that may be chosen to be one of their brethren; no stranger to be appointed to that office, 14, 15. He shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return unto Egypt, 16. Nor multiply wives, money, &c., 17. He shall write a copy of the law for his own use, and read and study it all his days, that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, 18-20.

B. C. 1451. An. Ex. Isr. 40. Sebat.

A. M. 2553. THOU a shalt not sacrifice ness in the sight of the LORD unto the LORD thy God any thy God, in transgressing his "b bullock or sheep wherein is covenant, blemish, or any evil-favouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God. 20 `e If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman that hath wrought wicked

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NOTES ON CHAP. XVII. Verse 1. Wherein is blemish] God must not have that offered to him which thou wouldst not use thyself. This not only refers to the perfect sacrifice offered by Christ Jesus, but to that sincerity and uprightness of heart which God requires in all those who approach him in the way of worship.

Verse 4. If it be told thee] In a private way by any confidential person. And thou hast heard of it; so that it appears to be notorious, very likely to be true,

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3 And hath gone and served other gods and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;

4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard xviii. 12; Hos. viii. 1. Chap. iv. 19; Job xxxi. 26. Jer. vii. 22, 23, 31; xix. 5; xxxii. 35.-8 Chap. xiii. 12, 14. and publicly scandalous. And hast inquired diligently

sought to find out the truth of the report by the most careful examination of persons reporting, circumstances of the case, &c. And, behold, it be true-the report is not founded on vague rumour, hearsay, or malice. And the thing certain-substantiated by the fullest evidence. Then shalt thou bring forth that man, ver. 5. As the charge of idolatry was the most solemn and awful that could be brought against an Israelite, because it affected his life, therefore God required that

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5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.

6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be

Of the king they should choose.

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shall choose shall show thee; and thou shalt observe to do accord- An. Ex. Isr. 40. ing to all that they inform thee:

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11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee, to the right hand nor to the left.

12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest, put to death; but at the mouth of one witness" that standeth to minister there, before, the he shall not be put to death. LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die; and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.

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7 The hands of the witnesses. shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So1 thou shalt put the evil away from among you.

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Lev. xxiv. 14, 16; chap. xiii. 10; Josh. vii. 25.- i Num. Xxxv. 30; chap. xix. 15; Matt. xviii: 16; John viii. 17; 2 Cor. xiii. 1; 1 Tim. v. 19; Heb. x. 28. Chap. xiii. 9; Acts vii. 58. 1 Ver. 12; chap. xiii. 5; xix. 19.—m 2 Chron. xix. 10; Hag. ii. 11; Mal. ii. 7.————See Exod. xxi. 13, 20, 22, 28; xxii. 2; Num, xxxv. 11, 16, 19; chap. xix. 4, 10, 11.- Chap. xii. 5; xix. 17; the charge should be substantiated by the most unequivocal facts, and the most competent witnesses. Hence all the precautions mentioned in the fourth verse must be carefully used, in order to arrive at so affecting and so awful a truth.

Verse 6. Two witnesses] ONE might be deceived, or be prejudiced or malicious; therefore God required two substantial witnesses for the support of the charge. Verse 8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee] These directions are given to the common magistrates, who might not be able to judge of or apply the law in all cases that might be brought before them. The priests and Levites, who were lawyers by birth and continual practice, were reasonably considered as the best qualified to decide on difficult points.

Verse 12. The man that will do presumptuously] The man who refused to abide by this final determination forfeited his life, as being then in a state of rebellion against the highest authority, and consequently the public could have no pledge for his conduct.

Verse 15. One from among thy brethren shalt thou

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Psa. cxxii. 5. xliv. 24.

-P See Jer. xviii. 18.4 Ch. xix. 17.- Ezek. Num. xv. 30; Ezra x.8; Hos. iv. 4. Heb. not to hearken. -W - Chap. xviii. 5, 7.- Chap. xiii. 5.- Chap. xiii. 11; xix. 20.- 1 Sam. viii. 5, 19, 20.— See 1 Sam. ix. 15; x. 24; xvi. 12; 1 Chron. xxii. 10. - Jer. xxx. 21.- 1 Kings iv. 26; x. 26, 28; Psa. xx. 7.b Isa. xxxi. 1; Ezek. xvii. 15. set king over thee] It was on the ground of this command that the Jews proposed that insidious question to our Lord, Is it lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, OR NO? Matt. xxii. 17; for they were then under the authority of a foreign power. Had Christ said Yes, then they would have condemned him by this law; had he said No, then they would have accused him to Cæsar. See this subject discussed in great detail in the notes on-Matt. xxii. 16, &c.

Verse 16. He shall not multiply horses] As horses appear to have been generally furnished by Egypt, God prohibits these, 1. Lest there should be such commerce with Egypt as might lead to idolatry. 2. Lest the people might depend on a well-appointed cavalry as a means of security, and so cease from trusting in the strength and protection of God. And, 3. That they might not be tempted to extend their dominion by means of cavalry, and so get scattered among the surrounding idolatrous nations, and thus cease, in process of time, to be that distinct and separate people which God intended they should be, and without which the

The priests and Levites

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DEUTERONOMY.

asmuch as the LORD hath said d Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

An. Ex. Isr. 40. unto you,

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17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.

18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book, out of that which is before the priests the Levites:

c Exod. xiii. 17; Num. xiv. 3, 4.- d Chap. xxviii. 68; Hos. xi. 5; see Jer. xlii. 15.- - See 1 Kings xi. 3, 4.- 2 Kings prophecies relative to the Messiah could not be known to have their due and full accomplishment.

Verse 17. Neither shall he multiply wives] For this would necessarily lead to foreign alliances, and be the means of introducing the manners and customs of other nations, and their idolatry also: Solomon sinned against this precept, and brought ruin on himself and on the land by it; see 1 Kings xi. 4.

Verse 18. He shall write him a copy of this law] Asin minn nø♫ mishneh hattorah hazzoth, an iteration or duplicate of this law; translated by the Septuagint, To devrepovoμiov тovтo, this deuteronomy. From this version both the Vulgate Latin and all the modern versions have taken the name of this book; and from the original word the Jews call it Mishneh. See the preface to this book.

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Out of that which is before the priests the Levites] It is likely this means, that the copy which the king was to write out was to be taken from the autograph kept in the tabernacle before the Lord, from which, as

to have no inheritance.

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19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

b Josh. i.

xi. 12.- -g Chap. xxxi. 9, 26; see 2 Kings xxii. 8.8; Psa. cxix. 97, 98. Chap. v. 32; 1 Kings xv. 5. a standard, every copy was taken, and with which doubtless every copy was compared; and it is probable that the priests and Levites had the revising of every copy that was taken off, in order to prevent errors from creeping into the sacred text.

Verse 19. And it shall be with him, &c.] It was the surest way to bring the king to an acquaintance with the Divine law to oblige him to write out a fair copy of it with his own hand, in which he was to read daily. This was essentially necessary, as these laws of God were all permanent, and no Israelitish king could make any new law, the kings of this people being ever considered as only the vicegerents of Jehovah.

Verse 20. He, and his children, in the midst of Israel.] From this verse it has been inferred that the crown of Israel was designed to be hereditary, and this is very probable; for long experience has proved to almost all the nations of the world that hereditary succession in the regal government is, on the whole, the safest, and best calculated to secure the public tranquillity.

CHAPTER XVIII.

The priests and Levites to have no inheritance, 1, 2. What is the priest's due, 3-5. Of the Levites that come from any of the other cities, 6-8. The Israelites must not copy the abominations of the former inhabitants, 9. None to cause his son or daughter to pass through the fire, or use any kind of divination or enchantment, as the former inhabitants did, 10-14. The great prophet which God promised to raise. up, 15-19. Of false prophets, 20; and how to discern them, 21, 22.

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An. Ex. Isr. 40. ̧ Sebat.

THE priests the Levites, and 2 Therefore shall they have no

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all the tribe of Levi, shall inheritance among their brethren: An. Ex. Isr. 40. have no part nor inheritance with the LORD is their inheritance, as Israel they shall eat the offerings of the he hath said unto them. LORD made by fire, and his inheritance."

a Num. xviii. 20; xxvi: 62; chap. x. 9. NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII. Verse 1. The priests the Levites-shall have no part] That is, says Rab. Maimon, they shall have no part in the spoils taken from an enemy.

Verse 2. The Lord is their inheritance] He is the portion of their souls; and as to their bodies, they shall live by the offerings of the Lord made by fire, i. e., the meat-offering, the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; and whatever was the Lord's

3 And this shall be the priest's due from

b Num. xviii, 8, 9; 1 Cor. ix. 13.

right, in these or other offerings, he gave to the priests.

Verse 3. Offer a sacrifice] nam 'ni zobechey hazzebach. The word na zebach is used to signify, not only an animal sacrificed to the Lord, but also one killed for common use. See Gen. xliii. 15; Prov. xvii. 1; Ezek. xxv. 6. And in this latter sense it probably should be understood here; and, consequently, the command in this verse relates to what the people

Of the Levite of other cities.

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CHAP. XVIII.

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Heathen abominations forbidden. the people, from them that offer a 9 When thou art come into the An. Ex. Isr. 40. sacrifice, whether it be ox or land which the LORD thy God An. Ex. Isr. 40. sheep; and they shall give unto giveth thee, thou shalt not learn the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, to do after the abominations of those nations. and the maw. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch;

4 The first-fruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

5 For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, f to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for

ever.

6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind hunto the place which the LORD shall choose;

7 Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, i as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.

8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony..

Lev. vii. 30-34.- Exod. xxii. 29; Num. xviii. 12, 24. e Exod. xxviii. 1; Num. iii. 10. Chap. x. 8; xvii. 12. Num. xxxv. 2, 3. Chap. xii. 5.h 12 Chron. xxxi. 2. k2 Chron. xxxi. 4; Neh. xii. 44, 47.- Heb. his sales by the fathers.

were to allow the priests and Levites from the animals slain for common use. The parts to be given to the priests were, 1. The shoulder, probably cut off from the beast with the skin on; so Maimonides. 2. The two cheeks, which may include the whole head. 3. The maw-the whole of those intestines which are commonly used for food. Verse 4. The first-fruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, &c.] All these first-fruits and firstlings were the Lord's portion, and these he gave to the priests.

Verse 8. The sale of his patrimony.] So we find that, though the Levites might have no part of the land by lot, yet they were permitted to make purchases of houses, goods, and cattle, yea, of fields also. See the case of Abiathar, 1 Kings ii. 26, and of Jeremiah, Jer. xxxii., 7, 8.

Verse 10. To pass through the fire]. Probably in the way of consecration to Molech, or some other deity. It is not likely that their being burnt to death is here intended. See on Lev. xviii. 21.

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Divination] pop op kosem kesamim, one who endeavours to find out futurity by auguries, using lots, &c.

Observer of times]meonen, one who pretends to foretell future events by present occurrences, and who predicts great political or physical changes from the aspects of the planets, eclipses, motion of the clouds, &c., &c. See on Gen. xli. 8.

Enchanter] n menachesh, from n nichesh, to view attentively; one who inspected the entrails of beasts, observed the flight of birds, &c., &c., and drew

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Lev. xviii.

14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do. 15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto Lev. xviii. 26, 27, 30; chap. xii. 29, 30, 31.21; chap. xii. 31. - Lev. xix. 26, 31; xx. 27; Isa. viii. 19. PLev, xx. 27.-91 Sam. xxviii. 7. r Lev. xviii. 24, 25; ch. ix. 4. Or, upright, or sincere; Gen. xvii. 1. Or, inherit. "Ver. 18; John i. 45; Acts iii. 22; vii. 37. auguries thence. Some think divination by serpents is meant, which was common among the heathen. A witch.] mechashsheph, probably those who by means of drugs, herbs, perfumes, &c., pretended to bring certain celestial influences to their aid. See the note on Lev. xix. 26.

Verse 11. A charmer] ann chober chaber, one who uses spells; a peculiar conjunction, as the term implies, of words, or things, tying knots, &c., for the purposes of divination. This was a custom among the heathen, as we learn from the following verses :Necte TRIBUS NODIS ternos, Amarylli, colores: Necte, Amarylli, modo ;.et Veneris, dic, vincula necto. Virg. Ecl. viii., ver. 77. "Knit with three. KNOTS the fillets, knit them straight; Then say, these KNOTS to love I consecrate."

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The promise of a prophet

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thee a Prophet from the midst shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

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An. Ex. Isr. 40. of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.

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17 And the LORD said unto me, * They have well spoken that which they have spoken. 18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he w Exod. xx. 19; Heb. xii. 19. Chap. y. John i. 45; Acts iii. 22; vii. 37.- - Isa, li. - John iv. 25; viii. 28; xii. 49, 50.

Chap. ix. 10. 28.- -y Ver. 15; 16; John xvii. 8.

a Prophet] Instead of diviners, observers of times, &c., God here promises to give them an infallible guide, who should tell them all things that make for their peace, so that his declarations should completely answer the end of all the knowledge that was pretended to be gained by the persons already specified.

Like unto me] Viz., a prophet, a legislator, a king, a mediator, and the head or chief of the people of God. This was the very person of whom Moses was the type, and who should accomplish all the great purposes of the Divine Being. Such a prophet as had never before appeared, and who should have no equal till the consummation of the world.

This prophet is the Lord Jesus, who was in the bosom of the Father, and who came to declare him to mankind. Every word spoken by him is a living infallible oracle from God himself; and must be received and obeyed as such, on pain of the eternal displeasure of the Almighty. See ver. 19, and Acts iii. 22, 23 and see the conclusion of this chapter.

Verse 22. If the thing follow not] It is worthy of remark that the prophets in general predicted those things which were shortly to come to pass, that the people might have the fullest proof of their Divine mission, and of the existence of God's providence in the administration of the affairs of men.

THE promise contained in the 15th and 18th verses of this chapter has long been considered of the first importance in the controversies between the Christians and Jews. "Christ," says Ainsworth, "was to be a man, and of the stock of the Jews, by promise, because the people could not endure to hear the voice of God, ver. 16. And as in respect of his prophecy, so of the priesthood: for every high priest is taken from among men, Heb. v. 1; and also of his kingdom, as in Deut. xvii. 15: From among thy brethren shalt thou set a king over thee like unto me.

"1. Christ alone was like unto Moses as a PROPHET; for it is written, There arose not a prophet in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in

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20 But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken ?

22. When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, fif the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him..

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b Acts iii. 23. Chap. xiii. 5; Jer. xiv. 14, 15; Zech. xiii. 3. Chap. xiii. 1,2; Jer. ii. 8.—— Jer. xxviii. 9. See chap. xiii. 2. - Ver. 20.

all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do, Deut. xxxiv. 10, 11, 12. This therefore cannot be understood of the ordinary prophets which were raised up in Israel, but of Christ only, as the apostles expound it Acts ii. 22-26. 2. Christ was like unto Moses in respect to his office of mediation between God and his people, Deut. v. 5'; 1 Tim. ii. 5; but greater than Moses as being the mediator of a better covenant, (or testament,) which was established upon better promises, Heb. viii. 6. 3. Christ was like unto Moses in excellency; for as Moses excelled all the prophets in speaking to God mouth to mouth, Num. xii. 6, 7, 8, so Christ excelled him and all men in that, being in the bosom of the Father, he hath come down from heaven and declared God unto us, John i. 18, iii. 13.. 4. Christ was like to Moses in faithfulness, but therein also excelling; for Moses was faithful in God's house as a servant, but Christ as the son over his own house, Heb. iii. 2, 5, 6. 5. Christ was like to Moses in signs and wonders, wherein he also excelled Moses, as the history of the Gospel shows; for he was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, Luke xxiv: 19. A man approved of God among them, by miracles, signs, and wonders, which God did by him in the midst of them, Acts ii. 22. For he did among them the works which no other man did, John xv. 24. Unto him, that is, not unto the diviners, wizards, or any such like, but unto him, and him only; as Him thou shalt serve, Deut. vi. 13, is expounded, Him only, Matt. iv. 10. And though this is principally meant of Christ in person, of whom God said, Hear him, Matt. xvii. 5; yet it implies also his ministers, as himself said, He that heareth you heareth me, Luke x. 16.” To these may be added, 6. As Moses was king among his people, in this respect Christ is like to him, but infinitely greater; for he is King of kings and Lord of lords, Rev. xix. 16; 1 Tim. vi. 15. And, 7. He was like to Moses as a legislator. Moses gave laws to Israel by the authority and commandment of God, which the Jews have ever acknowledged as coming from the immediate inspira

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